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Month: January 2020

Why plants are the future: UoM hosts first TEDextra talk of the year

Written by maria cicortas on . Posted in Science & Tech.

Last semester, TEDx at the University of Manchester kicked off a series of talks for this academic year. In the Students’ Union Hive, Edward O’Shea and fellow researchers delivered a fascinating TEDextra talk titled: ‘Why plants are the future?’.

The event began with a TED talk by Dr Joanne Chory, a renowned plant biologist and geneticist from America, who explained how supercharged plants could slow down climate change. In the talk, Dr Chory stated that plants not only absorb carbon dioxide but they produce suberin, a natural carbon storage device, which can stabilise the carbon that gets absorbed by the plant into something more beneficial.

Based on this theory, Dr Chory also suggested that there is a biological solution to the biggest threat humankind are currently facing: climate change. By getting plants to produce more suberin than usual, using modified plants could become “a little better than what they are” and absorb even more carbon dioxide. Joanne concluded that as an “optimistic character witness for the plants” that climate is changing, and we need to adapt if we are to overcome it.

After being presented with a thought-provoking video, Edward O’Shea started off his presentation with a simple question: ‘What field of biology do you think should deserve more funding?’. Answers from the floor came up immediately, with the majority choosing biomedical research. Following this, O’Shea went on to talk about the global problem surrounding topsoil loss and how it is being worsened by climate change.

O’Shea suggested that plant biomaterials (i.e. construction materials, compostable packing, biodegradable single-use items) are the way to go for a more sustainable world. Moreover, it is a well-known fact that replacing meat from our diets and switching to a more plant-based diet is another step that could lead us closer to a ‘greener environment’. This comes as an uprising against the meat industry, which is shown to emit as much greenhouse gases as all vehicles on the planet, which accounts to approximately 15% of all global emissions. Contrary to this, plant-based protein sources could help save up to 12.15 kg of carbon dioxide, the equivalent of 5 litres of petrol. Another drastic and worrying statistic shows that 50% of antibiotics synthesised are used on animals, and not only to be tested in laboratories but as a weight-gain pill.

Plants are the future because we can make use of them to combat climate change. Transplastomic technology can make plants capable of producing industrial proteins. Industrial proteins are used in industrial processes, most commonly in the form of enzymes. These are used in virtually every single chemical process on an industrial scale, yielding purer products in higher quantities.

In essence, a transplastomic plant is a genetically modified plant which has the new genes inserted into its chloroplast DNA, rather than its nuclear DNA. Chloroplasts are the site of photosynthesis in plants.

Unlike normal Genetically Modified (GM) plants, which can transfer genetic traits to related species via plasmids, transplastomic gene traits can only be transferred by asexual reproduction. An implication of this is that scientists can manipulate plants without having to worry about traits being passed on to unwanted plants, such as weeds. Moreover, transplastomic plants offer an almost limitless way of altering the plants’ genomes, potentially turning plants into industrial protein factories. This might open new ways in which we can tackle our current climate change crisis.

Having said so, a lively general discussion amongst the floor and panel arose on the biggest challenge that humankind could face in the next 30 years and what steps should be undertaken in order to cease its effects.

Discussions included reducing waste, to stop eating meat, how to reduce fossil fuels, and the consumerist mindset. An overall mutual conclusion was reached in the end – that forming a community and allowing scientists to influence a society that is more concerned with consumption and changing the minds of those that are recklessly ignoring the drawbacks of it.

Photo: Reece Ritchie @ The Mancunion

Live Review: PUP at Manchester Academy 2

Written by Reece Ritchie on . Posted in Music.

Canadian punk-rockers PUP stormed Manchester Academy 2, unleashing a pit inducing set of meaningful lyrics, chanting choruses and rapid drums that were a crime to miss.

PUP, an abbreviation for Pathetic Use of Potential, were held aloft by tour supports Fresh, from the UK, and the Norwegian pop punks Slotface. All three bands promised a glorious evening of pitting, moshing and the heavier side of the guitar in a supportive and judgement free environment.

Fresh started off their set rather unassumingly, with the drummer entering the stage from the photography area. However, once they started the crowd could barely pause for breath as they barrelled from song to song. Their lead singer’s energetic performance and vocals were a driving feature for the band, helping steer them through their cheerful and childish setlist, from ‘Going to Brighton’ to ‘F**k my life’. 

The second support Slotface weren’t nearly as endearing as Fresh. That isn’t to say they didn’t deliver a great performance, but the band did feel slightly awkward on stage. The songs they delivered did stir up the crowd enough that PUP took to the stage to a fervour of flowing limbs and jumping bodies, however.

One highlight of the set was ‘Scorpion hill’ from PUP’s latest album, Morbid Stuff. Its introduction is reminiscent of singing around a campfire with friends, before it drops into its heavy and mosh-worthy verses. The song tells the story of how you don’t know what others are going through and what their struggles are, and listening to it live with a crowd all having this shared experience was magical.

Another standout of the set had to be the hard-hitting punk anthem ‘Reservoir’ from PUP’s debut self-titled album. The track created a beautiful chaos in the crowd while simultaneously showing how simple yet magnificent PUP’s sets truly are. The crowd of all ages sung together in unison; a harmony of togetherness without judgement for each other in a space that felt truly freeing.

PUP do things differently as a punk band. They choose a different charity to support at every show and the lead singer draws fans tattoos that they can purchase in order for the band to reduce their carbon footprint while touring. It’s decisions like this that sets the band apart and shows them as the family friendly yet wholly rocking punks that they are. And that is on top of creating one of the greatest live atmospheres I feel that there is in modern music and a great quality of music to back up their performance.

9/10

Melanie Martinez livestream

Live Review: Melanie Martinez at the O2 Apollo

Written by Jay Darcy on . Posted in Music, Theatre.

Melanie Martinez’s most recent concert, The K-12 Tour, would best be described as a stage adaptation of her album, and film of the same name, K-12.

K-12 could be described as a concept album — the concept of which being high school. The album starts with the song ‘Wheels on the Bus,’ and ends with the song ‘Recess’, so, clearly, it presents a linear journey, enabling it to also work as a video album.

I attended this concert having only listened to bits of the album an hour earlier, and having never seen the film, I did not know what to expect. It quickly became evident that this concert was a theatrical experience, a cross between a gig and a musical, with a lavish set, fancy costumes, and a linear story.

Melanie sung about socio-political issues, and the show was even a little disturbing at times. Whilst some people might prefer a simple concert, I’m the Theatre Editor of The Mancunion and a Politics student, so, as you can imagine, I was completely in my element. A Latina singing about socio-political issues at a theatrical concert — what more could I possibly want?

I’m sure Naaz, the opening act, would have been amazing if we could have seen and heard her for her whole performance; a failure owing to technical difficulties. The audience even shouted out that they could not hear her but to no avail. The tech team owe this great vocalist an apology.

The concert made great use of video projections, all of which were stylistic and beautiful. There were numerous ‘Lessons’ in between Melanie’s performances, but the volume was too loud and the bass was too high, so nobody really learned anything in spite of their visual spectacle.

The show’s set included a hospital bed for ‘Nurse’s Office’, a puppet box for ‘Show & Tell,’ and ironing boards for ‘Drama Club’. Perhaps my favourite performance was ‘Strawberry Shortcake’, where Melanie was propped above and inside of an enormous cake skirt. This took a while to create, and to keep the audience from watching the creation of the skirt, they blinded us with bright lights. Now, I’ve got sensitive eyes anyway, but the whole audience were covering their eyes during this moment of the concert.

The lights really were ridiculously bright, and whilst I understand that they did not want us to watch them create the skirt, so that we would be surprised and delighted upon seeing it, they could have found a better way of doing this than blinding us. This happened later on, too, but this time there was no costume change or set construction; Melanie just stood on an empty stage, so I have no idea why they felt the need to blind us again. If Melanie needed a quick rest, they could have had the dancers do a dance number, and if the dancers needed a break too, they should have made use of the video projections, which they used extensively through the rest of the concert.

In the encore, Melanie finally talked to the audience. Whilst it was a little strange of her to not acknowledge us throughout the main set, she was engrossed in a theatrical experience, so I think this was the right choice. The audience roared when “Crybaby” appeared on the screen, as it became evident that she would be singing some of her older music. She sang ‘Sippy Cup’, ‘Alphabet Boy’ and ‘Mad Hatter’, but unfortunately not ‘Carousel’ or ‘Dollhouse,’ my two favourite Melanie Martinez songs. She then ended the concert with ‘Fire Drill’, a K-12 era song that does not actually appear on the album.

Aside from the technical issues, this concert was spectacular. Lots of artists put on big shows, but Melanie told a story in a transfusion of music, dance, and theatre.

9/10

Netflix series ‘Next in Fashion’ could be 2020’s answer to America’s Next Top Model

Written by Alice Porter on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

There hasn’t been a fashion-based reality show has quite captured the zeitgeist since the heyday of America’s Next Top Model and although the show is still running, it doesn’t feel as relevant in 2020 as it did in 2003 when it launched. Netflix’s new show ‘Next in Fashion’, launching this week, might just be 2020s answer to Tyra Banks’ iconic TV show.

‘Next in Fashion’ takes a similar format to ANTM, but with budding designers rather than models. Whilst the world of modelling has taken very few and painful steps to diversify and modernize throughout the 2000s, fashion design has made leaps and bounds, as it has become a welcoming and creative space for designers of all genders, races and ages. It seems apt then, that Netflix would commission a show focussing on designers in its efforts to enter the fashion industry.

Alexa Chung and Tan France will be presenting the show. Both presenters have made a name for themselves within the fashion industry through modern media. France is one of the ‘Fab Five’ of Netflix’s hugely successful TV Series ‘Queer Eye’, while Chung was an influencer before the word ‘blogger’ even existed and has since gone on to launch her eponymous fashion brand. 

The duo don’t take themselves too seriously, as the trailer illustrates, which should bring a light-heartedness that a show like this needs in order to make it entertaining. But the prospects the show offers are from trivial; Net-A-Porter will award the winning designer $250,000 and, of course, the exposure that comes with the show will be priceless.

‘Next in Fashion’ will be released on Netflix on Wednesday 29th January. I’m certainly excited about the show; in fact I’d go as far to say to Netflix that, to paraphrase Tyra Banks, I’m rooting for you, we’re all rooting for you.

Liverpool 2-0 Manchester United: structural frailties at United

Written by Will Stonier on . Posted in Sport.

In 1996 Manchester United and Liverpool met at Wembley Stadium for the final of the FA Cup. Prior to this fixture, Manchester United had sealed their third league title in four years. Liverpool, conversely, had not won a league title since 1990. Though the 1996 final was forgettable for most, with Manchester United sealing victory in the 85th minute with an Eric Cantona volley, the game would mark a period of dominance as Liverpool’s Premier League lacuna would become firmly entrenched. This season, however, Liverpool’s drought looks likely to end.

The two rivals met at Anfield with Liverpool, sitting 16 points clear of second and 30 points above Manchester United, representing everything that United were previously once hailed for; a finely tuned squad and a manager with tactical savoir-faire.

Throughout the match, United looked toothless as chances were missed by Andreas Pereira, bewilderingly playing as United’s number ten, and by Anthony Martial in the second half who succumbed to the pressure of Virgil van Dijk. The Red Devil’s blushes were saved on two occasions as VAR ruled out Roberto Firmino’s goal for Van Dijk’s foul on De Gea, and the second as Gigi Wijnaldum was caught offside.

Liverpool’s first goal came from van Dijk in the 14th minute as he easily out-muscled Harry Maguire to nod the ball in from a corner. Their second goal came in stoppage time from a counter-attack orchestrated by Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson, who pinged the ball up to an unmarked Mo Salah, who calmly slotted it underneath De Gea. Liverpool’s title charge appears to be unstoppable as they now have 21 wins from their first 22 matches of the season.

A lot can happen over three decades and United’s history does not ipso facto guarantee modern successes.  However, what is the cause of United’s mediocrity? It is clear that their defeat by Liverpool is not an anomaly but a symptom of problems that are more systemic. For instance, other symptoms include the injuries to Marcus Rashford, who suffered a double stress fracture in his back (likely a result of Rashford carrying the team on his shoulders) which also lead to the medical team discovering that Rashford also had a piece of floating bone in his ankle. Even Basil Fawlty would blush at such a calamitous state of affairs. 

So, what have United done to re-wire their performances on the pitch? Very little. In January they hired Neil Ashton—a reporter whose previous experience includes The Sun and Sky Sports’ Sunday Supplement—as PR adviser to the club. Such a move signals United’s intent to sustain their brand whilst neglecting their footballing performances, suggesting that the club are treating the symptoms of their failure rather than the cause. For instance, Gary Neville has recently attacked the club for their logistic failures, stating on his podcast: ‘they [United] have made some terrible investments in terms of recruitment’ and ‘it’s all coming home to roost. This is going to get bad. The next six months are going to be really difficult.’

Solskjær responded, stating: ‘For me we lost to Liverpool, a team that you all say are fantastic, and we’ve been in the game until the last kick.’ The club’s hierarchy appear content with the Ole Gunnar Solskjær experiment and using the Norwegian as a puppet to absorb the criticism. It is an experiment, nonetheless, overseen by a power structure in a state of apoplexy, driven by app downloads and Facebook likes. 

The moment that best captured the confused atmosphere at United was the post-match analysis on Sky Sports. Solskjær acolyte Roy Keane, in a surreal discussion with Jamie Carragher, could not remember how long Solskjær had been in the job for. ‘Find out how long Ole’s been in the job’, Keane demanded, with the lilt of a man who longs for Manchester United’s salad days.

Preview: Party Like Gatsby

Written by Jay Darcy on . Posted in Theatre.

‘Jay Gatsby invites you to his sparkling new tour – a lavish and extravagant affair assembled to bring you into the secret world of 1922 prohibition for one night only… Welcome to Cabaret Noir – the most extraordinary establishment in Manchester!’

After last year’s sold-out circus-themed tour, Spectacle Extraordinaire, Jay Gatsby is taking his very own speakeasy, Cabaret Noir, on the road.

After 5 years in operation, Party Like Gatsby is returning to O2 Ritz in Manchester for the third time on Saturday 1st of February 2020.

Party Like Gatsby is a unique blend of show and party. It is a cross between a 2020s club night and a 1920s ball; an immersive experience with live performances all night long. The cabaret features more than 20 acts, including: jazz singers, aerial dancers, circus acts, burlesque performers, tapping flappers, a juggling bartender, a champagne glass showgirl, and acrobatic bar fights.

Photo: Dom Martin.

Since 2013, Party like Gatsby has visited more than 50 cities in 19 countries across Europe and North America. Now, it’s even heading to Australia. It will be visiting 21 cities in three different continents, entertaining more than 100,00 guests with world-class performers, an extraordinary live-band and Gatsby’s brilliant resident DJ.

The event is inspired by F. Scott Fitzgerald’s ‘The Great Gatsby’, which centred on the mysterious young millionaire Jay Gatsby, who became famous for his mesmerising parties that he hosted every weekend in his glamorous residence. The O2 Ritz in Manchester will be turned into his mansion for one night only.

Photo: Dom Martin.

The show starts with walking performers at 21:00 and the stage show ends around 00:30, so guests are highly recommended to arrive between 21:00 and 22:30 so that they do not miss large parts of the show.

Guests must dress in their finest attire (ideally 1920s costume but evening gowns and suits will do) to visit this hidden gem. Expect a night of debauchery in the secret world of 1922 prohibition. The better you dress, the worse you can behave, old sport!

Photo: Dom Martin.

The event is Standing General Admission, but most venues have seating on the balcony or in a separate room.

So, come and Party Like Gatsby for one night only – Sat 1st of February at O2 Ritz. “Last Minute Tickets” can be bought for £29.

Manchester theatres

Preview: National Youth Theatre Auditions

Written by Jay Darcy on . Posted in Theatre.

Are you an inspiring actor aged between 14 and 25?

The National Youth Theatre (UK), the UK’s leading youth arts organisation, is inviting young people, aged 14-25, to take part in its upcoming acting auditions in Manchester.

The NYT’s notable alumni include Helen Mirren, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Daniel Craig, Matt Smith and Manchester’s own Sair Khan, as seen in Coronation Street, and Ste Johnson, as seen in Channels 4’s No Offence.

Brand new for 2020, the Digital Auditions scheme offers young people with access difficulties the chance to remotely submit a 5-minute audition video for only £5. This scheme is available for young people who live 25 miles or more away from their nearest audition venue or who face other access barriers related to socio-economic circumstances: geography, disability, neuro-diversity, mental health, etc.

Over 5000 young people auditioned at over 60 venues around the UK last year. The NYT membership that participants receive will allow them the opportunity to showcase their acting abilities through local, national and international NYT productions and will help them develop their acting skills working with the industry’s top professionals.

Another option for participants to consider is being a part of the NYT REP Company, a free alternative to formal training, offering workshops with leading practitioners and the chance to perform three productions in an established London venue.

The backstage programme will provide practical experience and allow participants to develop skills within a range of fields including lighting, sound, scenic construction, stage management or costume. It will include a Digital Storytelling course that focuses on new Mixed Reality technologies, including VR and AR in theatre.

The Manchester acting auditions will be held at the Royal Exchange Theatre between the 17th to the 21st of February and the 14th of March and backstage interviews will be held on the 7th of March.

Acting auditions and the backstage audition course dates can be booked and purchased via www.nyt.org.uk/auditions for £39 or £46, and applicants must apply at least 48 hours before each audition day.

Digital auditions cost £5 and the deadline for video submissions is the 31st of January. For further information on how to apply, see www.nyt.org.uk/digital.

The NYT will continue to operate an extensive access programme for those suffering from financial hardship. There are multiple free and affordable routes into the company.

More information on the courses and how to join can be found on the NYT’s website at www.nyt.org.uk.

Review: The Nightingale

Written by carlfitzgerald on . Posted in Film.

Writer-director Jennifer Kent’s The Nightingale is the best film of the year. It follows the story of Clare (Aisling Franciosi), an Irish convict living deep in the 19th Century Tasmanian wilderness, who enlists an Aboriginal tracker to find the British officer who raped her and murdered her husband and child.

It’s an instant classic and a seething indictment of racism, classism, colonialism and misogyny. The film negates a “violence begets violence” narrative in favour of one that outwardly explores the ways in which humans use violence as a means to exert power over those less privileged than themselves in societal structures.

In The Nightingale, systems of marginalisation and oppression under an imperial government do not exist in a vacuum or in spite of one another. Kent goes to great efforts in her screenplay to show how these systems feed into one another to create an insidious climate of violence in which women and indigenous people are persistently left without power.

When Clare is sexually assaulted by Hawkins (Sam Claflin) and his men it is not for any kind of sexual relief, it is purely a means by which he displays to her that he is in charge and in control. This is an attitude in exploitation we see extended throughout the film with regard to the racism perpetuated by white English colonialists and the institutional abuse enforced by different ranks of the British army against one another.

The film explores elements of race and colonialism predominantly through Billy (Baykali Ganambarr), Clare’s guide through the wilderness.

Many critics have used this particular dynamic (the white woman who hires a person of colour in a colonised land and eventually comes to befriend him) as reason to dub the film a white saviour narrative. Whilst it’s not my place to decide what does or doesn’t qualify as such, I would also point out that The Nightingale almost entirely empathises with Billy when he faces racial prejudice.

Even when Clare repeatedly refers to him as the dehumanising slur “boy”, Kent frames this action as if to show her ignorance and deeply internalised racism in an imperialist society.

Furthermore, Clare and Billy coming into companionship beyond a business relationship doesn’t just stem from the age-old trope of “white person sees other people are nice and thinks racism is bad”, but instead from a genuine acknowledgement of the damage colonialism has done to Billy’s homeland, culture and people.

While the Academy will most likely snub this one (much like they did Kent’s The Babadook), it’s worth noting that the film is driven by powerful performances delivered with the highest calibre by Franciosi and Ganambarr. They deliver a human and empathetic depiction of a friendship founded in the most brutal of times.

This couldn’t be any further removed from Kent’s previous film, but it does retain the same degree of empathetic horror that makes her perspective such an essential element of modern cinema.

5/5.

Nominations for Student Executive Officers are open

Written by Anja Samy on . Posted in News.

Nominations are now open for the 2020-21 Executive Officer and Part Time Officer positions. This is your chance to make a real difference at your University by running for a role on the governing body of the Students Union.

What is an Executive Officer?

Executive Officer positions are full-time, paid roles at the Students’ Union lasting one full academic year. They are voted for by the student body and are responsible for creating and managing projects at the SU, as well as sitting on a number of decision making boards at the University.

There are 8 positions which students can run for:

  • General Secretary
  • Activities and Development Officer
  • Postgraduate Officer
  • International Students Officer
  • Liberation and Access Officer
  • Welfare and Community Officer
  • Women’s Officer

What is a Part Time Officer?

Part Time Officers (PTOs) are voluntary roles that you can carry out alongside your studies. These positions represent particular student groups and influence decisions made about a range of aspects of the student experience.

There are a number of Part Time Officer positions available categorised as the following:

Liberation Officers 

  • BME
  • Disabled Students
  • LGBTQ+
  • Trans Students
  • Women’s

Faculty Officers

Each Faculty has two undergraduate and two postgraduate (PGT and PGR) Officers.

Student Community Officers

Roles which represent students outside in the wider community e.g. issues such as environment, transport, housing and safety.

Access Officers 

  • Student Parent
  • Student Carer
  • Part-time Student
  • Mature Student
  • Distance-Learner Student
  • Living at Home
  • Widening Participation Officer

Who can run for election?

Any current student at the University of Manchester can run for election as an Exec Officer. Depending on which academic year you are currently in, the role can either be taken as a sabbatical year between studies or as a role after graduation. PTOs must have at least one year left of their course here at the University of Manchester as the position goes alongside their studies.

How to run for an Exec Officer or PTO position:

You can either nominate yourself or nominate a person you know for a position. Nominations close Friday 14th February.

Once accepted, candidates then run their own campaign to gain support from the student body. Voting is open from Thursday 27th February and the results are announced on Thursday 5th March.

For more information visit the Students’ Union Election FAQ page.

UK’s most prolific rapist convicted in Manchester Crown Court

Written by Anja Samy on . Posted in News.

Trigger Warning: Rape and Sexual Assault.

A mature student has been convicted of 159 sex offences against young men and sentenced to a minimum of 30 years in jail, following almost two years of court proceedings.

Reynhard Sinaga has been dubbed ‘Britain’s most prolific rapist’ with police estimating that he targeted at least 190 victims in total.

As of today, his convictions include 136 counts of rape, 8 counts of attempted rape, 14 counts of sexual assault, and 1 count of assault by penetration.

These convictions relate to offences committed between January 2015 and June 2017, although the true extent of Sinaga’s crimes will likely never be known.

Evidence found by police in the man’s flat, such as property including phones and ID cards stolen from victims, indicate that he had operated over a 10-year-period.

Trophies collected by Sinaga from his victims. Photo: GMP

Sinaga was resident on Princess Street, one of the busiest areas for Manchester nightlife, and would often target lone young men outside of clubs.

Posing as a ‘Good Samaritan’, he would approach his victims and invite them to his nearby flat, under the pretext of a chance to charge their phone or help calling a taxi.

According to Greater Manchester Police, “Once inside he would offer them a drink which, unbeknownst to the men, would contain a substance – believed to be GHB – that would render them unconscious.”

Sinaga would then film himself sexually assaulting and raping his unconscious victims – many of whom would wake confused and in a state of undress, with no recollection of the horrific acts they had been subjected to the night before.

The scene of the crime – Sinaga’s bedroom in his Princess Street flat. Photo: GMP

In an official statement, Assistant Chief Constable Mabs Hussain, explained that the nature of these attacks has meant that many victims were completely unaware that they had even been assaulted until approached by police:

“I do not wish to waste another word on Reynhard Sinaga. Instead, I would now like to pay tribute to his victims, many of whom did not know for certain what had happened to them until they received a visit from the police, after they had been identified from the videos taken by Sinaga.

“Many of these men have stood up in court and provided evidence, which detailed the significant impact these offences have had on their lives. We appreciate this can be a daunting experience and it truly does take a lot of courage to stand up in court and tell your story.”

An official custody photo of Sinaga, released by police. If you or someone you know have been affected by this case, please contact Greater Manchester Police on the numbers at the end of this article. Photo: GMP

Police are still unable to identify 70 victims and have asked for those who suspect they have been assaulted to come forward.

It is believed that around 30% of the men assaulted by Sinaga were or are students studying across a number of institutions in Manchester.

Alongside this, Reynhard Sinaga studied at the University of Manchester from August 2007 for an MA in sociology, although at the time of his arrest he was studying for a PhD at Leeds University.

Following the removal of the 18 month press embargo on the case, the University of Manchester released a statement today expressing sadness at the confirmation “that some members of our university community have been directly affected.”

“The disclosure that Sinaga studied at the University of Manchester, and that the scale of offending was so significant, has come as a great shock. There is no doubt that this news will be distressing for many of us.”

The University has offered its deepest sympathies to the victims of these dreadful crimes and has established dedicated help for anyone who feels they have been affected in any way by these events, or who knows someone who has.”

The University has set up a confidential telephone line (+44(0) 3301289241) which will be open from 8am–9pm GMT, Monday to Friday.

Alongside this, a dedicated email address (to Dr Simon Merrywest, our Director for the Student Experience) is also available to address any questions or concerns or to access support: [email protected].

If you wish to speak directly to police and make a report relating to Reynhard Sinaga, please call 0800 092 0410 or, if you are calling from abroad, contact 0207158 0124.

If you have been affected by this case in any way and would like to seek support from specialist agencies, please contact 0800 056 0154 or 0207158 0011 for international calls.